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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23168977">the sweet heat of her breath in my mouth, i'm alive</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/divine_chicken/pseuds/divine_chicken'>divine_chicken</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Thracia 776</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Divergence, F/F, Falling In Love, Not Actually Unrequited Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:47:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23168977</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/divine_chicken/pseuds/divine_chicken</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Olwen, and all the times she sees Ishtar, and how she falls in love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>( background), Cyrus | Saias/Reinhardt, Ishtar/Olwen (Fire Emblem)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the sweet heat of her breath in my mouth, i'm alive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-</p><p>The first time she sees her from somewhere closer than 10 metres, it's indoors - something about Reinhardt forgetting a thing in his room, and Olwen being tasked to bring it so that he won't be interrupted from their meeting regarding strategy.<br/>
The first time she sees her, she is dimly lit by the firelight, standing tall and kind, a rose amongst thorns. She shifts to smile at her in appreciation (though only for a moment), and Olwen almost drops what she was carrying.</p><p>( And if her brother weren't staring at the tactician so lovingly, he just might've noticed.)</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The second time she sees her, it's from afar, but it doesn't feel like it.</p><p>She is about to go to sleep when a bright light suddenly shines through her window, illuminating her candle-lit room with an otherworldly glow before it fades.<br/>
The familiar crackle of thunder booms again, and she rushes to her window to see her outside in the darkness, practicing her magic, the gem on Mjölnir's spine staring back at Olwen. She does not think her a mere human at that moment, not really. She watches her hands glow with the thunder and her hair dance alongside the lightning, and she finds herself wondering if she's fighting alongside a goddess amongst men.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The third time she sees her, it's something about a progress report - she doesn't quite remember, but she trips thrice as she tries to tear her eyes off her, and she can feel Reinhardt staring.</p><p> </p><p>"... My lady Ishtar is quite the dashing woman, isn't she, Olwen?" He asks her with a knowing smile, and Olwen looks away in embarrassment.</p><p>" I don't know what you're talking about."</p><p>" What I am talking about is you almost breaking your leg while you were staring."</p><p>" Oh, like you're one to talk! Lord Saias this, Lord Saias that!" She snaps. " So what if I think she's the most gorgeous woman I've seen? It's not like I can act on it..." She whispers, deflating.</p><p>"... Maybe not romantically," Reinhardt whispers. " But look at her, Olwen. She is wilting, don't you see her? I think your company would benefit her as much as it would benefit you."</p><p>" As... As friends?" Olwen asks.</p><p>" Yes," Reinhardt nods.<br/>
" And the nature of my relationship with Lord Saias is none of your busine-"</p><p>" When's the wedding?"</p><p>" Olwen-!"</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The fourth time she sees her, she is once again in her room when she hears a gentle knock upon her door.<br/>
( That leaves Kempf out of the equation then, quite thankfully.)</p><p>" Come in!" She calls, and her dimly lit room fills with soft candlelight held by an ever softer woman, the candleholder in one of her delicate hands, something else in her other.</p><p>Olwen opens her mouth to speak, but nothing quite comes out, because she did not quite expect the thunder goddess herself to pay her a visit.</p><p> </p><p>" I am very sorry to come in unannounced like this," Ishtar begins, a slight blush on her face, " but I heard that it was your birthday today."</p><p>" It... It is!" Olwen sputters, making space for her at the edge of the bed.</p><p>" Well... I wanted to give you this," Ishtar continued as she set her candle down carefully so that she could place a tiny satchel in Olwen's hands.</p><p>Opening it, Olwen was met with a pendant, a wonderful jade hanging from it, intricate but not overly flamboyant. </p><p>" Lady Ishtar..."</p><p>" I thought it would look good on you," Ishtar softly said.</p><p>" Thank you so much, my lady!" She smiles, as she tries it on.</p><p>" Oh, you look quite dashing!" Ishtar smiles, and Olwen's heart all but melts.<br/>
" Well, I should be going now," she adds, picking her candle up again.<br/>
" Happy birthday, Olwen. Friege as a whole appreciates your splendor as a knight, myself included."</p><p>" Wait, Lady Ishtar-!" Olwen gasps, heart pounding.</p><p>" Oh?"</p><p>" Would you care for some tea together, sometime?"</p><p>" That sounds quite wonderful, Olwen."</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The tenth time she sees her, it's over a cup of tea, and she wonders since when her goddess of thunder had such soft hands.</p><p> </p><p>The twentieth time she sees her, it's with Ishtar's head buried in Olwen's shoulder as she's softly sobbing, as she finally lets all the pain she's seen and felt out.</p><p> </p><p>The thirtieth time, Ishtar calls her her prized friend, and Olwen's heart almost jumps in her throat.</p><p>The fortieth time, Ishtar whispers to her that she enjoys the company of women just as much as she does the company of men, and Olwen almost chokes on the spot.</p><p> </p><p>Two times after that time, Olwen kisses her, because she's way too close for her not to reach, because she is warm, and she is beautiful, and she's her goddess.<br/>
When Ishtar kisses back, Olwen almost sobs in relief.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Olwen does think about Julius, and though doing so while Ishtar is helping her undo the laces of her undergarments is not optimal, she wasn't anything if not honorable.<br/>
"... My lady," she gasps as Ishtar is kissing her neck, " what about your partner?"</p><p>"... I do not know," Ishtar truthfully answers, " I don't. But... It feels good when I'm with you," she whispers, and she takes a moment to lay her head against Olwen's chest, feeling her run her hands through her lavender hair.<br/>
" When I'm with you... It feels right," she whispers.<br/>
" I didn't realize how much it stung to be with him until I met you. I did not think love could be painless."</p><p>"... I want the best for you, Ishtar. I am glad I can make you smile," she responds, kissing her face gingerly, and the heat is gone, but Olwen holds her in her arms instead - and it's just as, if not more intimate.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The last time she (thinks) she sees her, it's opposite her, on a battlefield. The marks on her throat have long faded, and that wonderful gift of hers is still tucked under her shirt. How she's missed her, the simple softness of her mouth against hers.</p><p> </p><p>When Ishtar sees her, she throws up, right then and there, trembling weakly, and Julius turns his head to look at her before he escorts her somewhere safe. Something about being a liability when fighting while sick.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>When the fog has finally cleared up, when it is all said and done, and when that child within Olwen is long gone, she searches for Ishtar.</p><p>Opening the door to a nearby cot, she finds her inside, and her dear goddess looks so very much like a husk at that moment, eyes empty as she trembles. Olwen does not speak, she knows what's going on quite well - all she does is hold her, and help her cry it out, just like that first time she comforted her through weakness.</p><p>" I missed you," Ishtar whispers against her.</p><p>" I missed you too," Olwen responds, squeezing her tight.<br/>
" I'm here. I'm not running anymore."</p><p>" Don't.... Don't leave me," Ishtar whispers. " If you would have me back..."</p><p>" Of course. Don't think about it now, Isshy. The war is over... We can live for ourselves now."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And then they married</p></blockquote></div></div>
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